A review by rebelbooksta
The Genealogy of Kings by
'The Genealogy of Kings' compiled & edited by Tun Sri Lanang, translated to English by Prof Muhammad Haji Salleh from Malaysia.
As we are all aware that there hasn't been enough factual sources to identify the actual author of the Sejarah Melayu (The Malay Annals). Or as described in this book 'Hikayat Melayu' (Narratives of the Malays).
It is widely accepted that Tun Sri Lanang compiled the various hikayats and then edited them during his imprisonment. The originals were written in the ancient Jawi script. Followed by Tun Sri Lanang, it underwent several other hands and got doctored along the way.
The initiative taken by Penguin SEA together with Prof Salleh in attempting at a modern version of Sejarah Melayu is absolutely commendable. Except that I feel they can do better.
The Melaka Sultanate was a flourishing Maritime Empire. The rise and fall of Melaka heavily altered the course of history in the Malay Archipelago. It began with a Hindu-Malay equation starting from the Kelings ( the Chozhas of Tamil Country) and transformed into an Islamic Malay Peninsula - one that commands respect and honour.
Every hikayat written in this book is disjointed. Disconnected, jumping from one to another without any actual control on the timeline of the stories. Eventually it becomes confusing and hard to keep up with each Hikayat.
There were historical legends nevertheless:
1. The first Sultan descended from the progeny of Alexander and a keling Chula Princess.
2. The founding of "Singa Pura" (Lion City in Sanskrit) by Sang Nila Utama
3. The last Sultan who ruled Singapore - Sri Iskandar Shah before he was defeated by the Javanese Majapahit and escaped to Melaka.
4. The founding of Melaka by Sri Iskandar Shah
5. The legend of Badang and the stone.
6. The legend of Hang Nadim and the swordfishes.
Times like these I wish I could read the original Jawi edition.
I love the Malay heritage and the vibrancy of cultural and culinary arts they have given to humanity. I've grown up listening to Malay folk stories often narrated by my late grandmother. Thus, I am compelled to give an unbiased opinion of this read. It has fell severely short of expectations. Because that is how much I love about the stories of the various Sultans in the Malay Archipelago (Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore) which this particular book failed to give. Especially that I am born and raised in an island that was once ruled by Malay and Java kings, I expected a lot more from this epic.
I believe those who managed to enjoy this version must have had access to the more original versions in Jawi or the Romanized Malay. I am not sure if this modern version I have read has done due justice to the Sulalat al-Salatin which is considered to be the magnum opus on the reign of Malay Kings.
Special mention to Parag Chitale for the pretty cover art.
If you know of any historical Malay heritage books I should read to better understand the Sejarah Melayu, please drop a comment. Thank you.
#Igreads #thegenealogyofkings #sulalatalsalatin #tunserilanang #malayannals #sejarahmelayu #malayliterature #hikayatmelayu #malayarchipelago #malaypeninsula
#bookstagrammers
#book #bookstagram
#asianlit #asianliterature #asianwriters #translatedworks #penguinbookssea #translatedworks #penguinsoutheastasianclassics #penguinsg #singaporereads #readingnationsg #sgreads #penguinrandomhouse #southeastasianclassics
As we are all aware that there hasn't been enough factual sources to identify the actual author of the Sejarah Melayu (The Malay Annals). Or as described in this book 'Hikayat Melayu' (Narratives of the Malays).
It is widely accepted that Tun Sri Lanang compiled the various hikayats and then edited them during his imprisonment. The originals were written in the ancient Jawi script. Followed by Tun Sri Lanang, it underwent several other hands and got doctored along the way.
The initiative taken by Penguin SEA together with Prof Salleh in attempting at a modern version of Sejarah Melayu is absolutely commendable. Except that I feel they can do better.
The Melaka Sultanate was a flourishing Maritime Empire. The rise and fall of Melaka heavily altered the course of history in the Malay Archipelago. It began with a Hindu-Malay equation starting from the Kelings ( the Chozhas of Tamil Country) and transformed into an Islamic Malay Peninsula - one that commands respect and honour.
Every hikayat written in this book is disjointed. Disconnected, jumping from one to another without any actual control on the timeline of the stories. Eventually it becomes confusing and hard to keep up with each Hikayat.
There were historical legends nevertheless:
1. The first Sultan descended from the progeny of Alexander and a keling Chula Princess.
2. The founding of "Singa Pura" (Lion City in Sanskrit) by Sang Nila Utama
3. The last Sultan who ruled Singapore - Sri Iskandar Shah before he was defeated by the Javanese Majapahit and escaped to Melaka.
4. The founding of Melaka by Sri Iskandar Shah
5. The legend of Badang and the stone.
6. The legend of Hang Nadim and the swordfishes.
Times like these I wish I could read the original Jawi edition.
I love the Malay heritage and the vibrancy of cultural and culinary arts they have given to humanity. I've grown up listening to Malay folk stories often narrated by my late grandmother. Thus, I am compelled to give an unbiased opinion of this read. It has fell severely short of expectations. Because that is how much I love about the stories of the various Sultans in the Malay Archipelago (Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore) which this particular book failed to give. Especially that I am born and raised in an island that was once ruled by Malay and Java kings, I expected a lot more from this epic.
I believe those who managed to enjoy this version must have had access to the more original versions in Jawi or the Romanized Malay. I am not sure if this modern version I have read has done due justice to the Sulalat al-Salatin which is considered to be the magnum opus on the reign of Malay Kings.
Special mention to Parag Chitale for the pretty cover art.
If you know of any historical Malay heritage books I should read to better understand the Sejarah Melayu, please drop a comment. Thank you.
#Igreads #thegenealogyofkings #sulalatalsalatin #tunserilanang #malayannals #sejarahmelayu #malayliterature #hikayatmelayu #malayarchipelago #malaypeninsula
#bookstagrammers
#book #bookstagram
#asianlit #asianliterature #asianwriters #translatedworks #penguinbookssea #translatedworks #penguinsoutheastasianclassics #penguinsg #singaporereads #readingnationsg #sgreads #penguinrandomhouse #southeastasianclassics